Looking for advice on health and fitness?

[CombatCompany]

Hi! Thank you for reading my thread!
I have been in the fitness industry working with everyone from children to professional athletes and everything in between for 20 years,
I am just popping this thread up for anyone that would like any free advice on getting fit, cleaning up your diet, busting stress or anything really. The more questions I get the more people I can help.

Hi. Been on ketogenic diet for about six months and have lost a lot of weight and feel great. Also introduced IF which has increased health immensely. The health benefits of burning fat are significant (superior in my view?) and I want to stay in ketosis as much as I can.

Problem: I train a lot anaerobically. Both heavy weights and martial arts. So my muscles need glycogen to support the explosiveness of my workouts. I have been doing targeted carb refeeds post workout but still gassing at times on the mat if sessions are too close together. It feels as though I need more time to restore glycogen.

A) am I doing this right?
B) do you think I’m staying in ketosis? Or returning to ketosis quickly if I’m doing keto at other times?
C) should I introduce pre workout carb feeds? With what ? Simple or complex carbs?

Thx

Hi :)
I have never used a ketogenic diet but I know many of my clients do and it works for them. Many of the fighters I know that are Ketokids tend to cycle complex carbs the day before anaerobic work outs to ensure glycogen stores are strong enough and post work out go for 20-25g of carbs with a good clean protein thrown in for good measurue.
Hope that helps

Another thing to look at is what you are doing in the work outs, one thing I found regardless of my diet I kept burning out when I was training boxing, turns out i was blasting pads at full tilt everyday between boxing, Thai and MMA and hadn't really considered that by Friday my body was exhausted and needed a day off! It could just be as simple as spacing your workouts a little differently or if you are training consecutive days just use the one in the middle as a more technical day

Thanks. Both good bits of advice. May indeed be overtraining.

Best exercises for runners?

I don’t feel running is enough so need something to complement it

Also, ideal foods/snacks for before and after a long run?

Ooo running is a tough one! Totally depends on mileage and how often you run but I run about 100 miles a month and so far found the best work out to support running is a combination of core conditioning and strength training with a combination of squat, deadlift and lunges I found helped protect me from running based injury which I am prone too as I'm not really built for running, generally solid weight training is a great supplement for anyone training regularly. As for post run I would go with something carbuncle with a lot of protein I have been having a whole avacado on toast with a couple of eggs after my runs as my lunch, seems to fill the void and I recover well.
Hope this helps :)

Hello! Could you advise on the best eating plan for a middle aged female addicted to carbs and sweets? Fitness level is zero at the moment. Many thanks!

Hmmmm well first thing is DO NOT GO COLD TURKEY it never works out.
Best bet is to look at when you are eating sweets and take steps to replace them with fruits or healthier replacements. As for the carb thing when I need to cut weight for competition I replace any carbs with cauliflower rice, it's an awesome equivalent. Give these a go for a week and let me know how you're getting on :)

Hey @CombatCompany I went cold turkey when I decided to switch fuels to fat from glucose and it worked out great. I think most people do that.

Any advice for a fatty please? I've just started walking 10 to 12 miles a day (in two blocks so 6ish each time) and feeling the benefits massively..how can I up it a bit or make it more effective? I'm starving about 2 hours after but don't feel like eating..

Yes as somone who trains hard and has a strong drive for diet it would work well but from what I understand the above is not of the same mind set and usually when you go cold turkey you will go back hard

Many thanks! I am in two minds about gradual approach of cold turkey. I have done it before and lost lots of weight, but always relájese and gain it back. I appreciate your advice - will try the cauliflower rice. Thanks!!

That's a great start! Make sure you do eat enough though, one thing I did with a client before was got her to cut out anything fried or sweet and then cut her normal food for the day into four or five smaller meals and eat them as she felt hungry. Aside from that, keep hydrated and make sure you look after your footwear very important when starting out to limit injuries. Try adding some wrist weights to the walks and make sure you add some basic core conditioning in there

I was getting really into the gym, doing 5k a few times a week and Body Pump three times, plus a couple of yoga classes. I was in a great place and loving it! Plus my diet and overall relationship with food was probably best ever!

BUT just under two weeks ago I had an operation on my chest and have been told by my surgeon that any upper body exercise, plus any impact whatsoever which will move my chest, is out of the question for 8 weeks after the op. I am gutted and just wondered if you could advise on how much fitness / tone / strength I stand to lose in 8 weeks? And is there anything I can do to mitigate these losses?

I've been trying to stay active but am very tired still (recovering from op) so my exercise levels are seriously lower at the moment.

Thanks in advance! :)

Well it totally depends on what kind of operation you have had and I am not qualified to give advice on this exact point but after 8 weeks you will lose some strength and definition (the exact results vary with genetics) but if you get back to it when you are able you will be amazed at how quickly it all comes back. As for working out as with any injury you must seek medical advice but I would have thought anything very steady and controlled like isometric work would be ok, but please check regarding your specific operation first.

Thanks!

Any advice for someone really trying to put on weight? I have been eating so much more than usual (aiming for at least 2500 calories a day) and am so, so sick of eating when I am not hungry but still really struggling. Only managed 2.5kg gain in 2 and a half months.

There are many ways todo this but firstly I need to know why you're putting weight on? As without knowing it's hard to even begin to advise I'm afraid.

Thanks, just sick of being straight up and down skinny and not finding clothes to fit. Was a size 6-8, would like to be an 8-10 (shop dependent of course) with some curves. Just don't seem to put weight on.

Well your best best bet would be learn basic bar work, you would need to build into it but look to build muscle, especially squat, deadlift and lunge, it will take time but commit hard for 12 weeks, you will be amazed what a difference it will make, you may not weight much more but you will look completely different

I am 37 and have osteoarthritis in both knees. Just recently I have also developed sciatic nerve pain. My physio thinks this maybe caused from not bending with my knees due to the arthritis. I was overweight and in the last year I have lost a stone. My weight has steadied now so I’m thinking I need to up my exercise levels. What do you advise the best exercise for me?
Thanks in advance.

Thanks!

Well it does depend on how severe the arthritis is but assuming you can't take any impact I would advise weight training using a combination of fix machines and free weights three times a week. You don't need to go crazy just gradually build up the weight over about six weeks and make sure you really strengthen your core and lower body. Make sure you utilise a fitness professional regarding your arthritis. Congrats on the weight loss by the way :)

Thank you.

Hiya,

I ran for a year and got up to doing 8 mile runs once a week and 5 mile runs every other day. Never got addicted or enjoyed it once.

I have tried weights for 6 months. Fitness dvds, skipping, stepper, EVERYTHING and i have never once enjoyed exercise never mind getting any 'bug' for it.

Whyyyy?! Why is it always such an awful effort?